Liquid congealing apparatus



May 24, 1938. E H] Um v 2,118,211

LIQUID CQNGEALING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1957 INVENTOR EDWARD H. Lu'rzATTO Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID CONGEALING APPARATUS sylvania Application February 27, 1937, Serial No. 128,064

11 Claims.

My invention relates to liquid congealing apparatus, and particularly toliquid congealing apparatus of the type wherein a flexible metallic gridmember is employed to divide an ice tray into cells for the formation ofice of a suitable size and shape for domestic and table use.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved metallic gridmember which may be flexed to loosen ice therefrom and in which theflexing force applied to the grid member is particularly effective tobreak the bond between the ice and the grid member.

It is another object of my invention to provide improved liquidcongealing apparatus wherein a flexible grid member is forcibly movedrelative to the ice tray, and is thereafter flexed to remove ice fromsaid grid member.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a flexible gridmember which is relatively stiff in an upward direction when liftingforce is applied thereto because of certain structural characteristicsof the grid itself.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a flexible metallicgrid member which forms a double row of ice cubes in an ice tray andwhich only need be flexed in one direction transverse to the horizontalplane of the grid to break the ice bond between the ice cubes and thegrid member.

It is also an object of myinvention to provide an improved flexiblemetallic grid structure which is relatively inexpensive and easy tomanufacture.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description and claims taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of liquid congealing apparatus of thetype ingeneral use in domestic refrigeration, and illustrates a preferredembodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved flexible grid structure shownin Fig. 1, illustrated in its flexed position after removal from the icetray;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the flexible grid structure, shown inits normal position; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view 'of one end of the ice tray and grid,with the ice tray broken away to illustrate the leverage means forlifting the grid structure from the tray.

Referring specifically to the drawing for a detailed description of myinvention numeral ll designates an ice tray which is preferably formedof sheet aluminum and which issubstantially rigid. A flexible gridstructure generally shown at l2 divides the ice tray ll into two rows ofcells I3 and I 4 for the formation of ice cubes,- shown at IS in Fig. 2.

The grid structure I2 is preferably formed of a flexible, non-corrosivemetal, such as, for example, stainless steel, in the following manner.Preferably, although not necessarily, a single sheet of stainless steelis utilized, and starting at the left hand end of the grid shown inFigs. 1 to 3, the sheet first forms a portion 20 of one side 16 of afirst double transverse wall [1. At the middle of the transverse wall H,the sheet .is bent outwardly at right angles to form one side 18 of anend longitudinal wall member l9, and is then folded at 2! and bent backto form a second side 22 of the end longitudinal wall l9. The side 22extends to said first transverse wall l1 and is then bent at rightangles to form a second portion 20a of the side iii of the firsttransverse wall 11. The sheet is then bent back upon itself, beingfolded at 23 to form a second side 24 of the transverse wall l1. Thesheet is then again bent at right angles to form a wall 25 which extendsthe length of a cell M, in the same plane as and adjacent to a side wall25 of the ice tray l I. The sheet is again bent at right angles to forma portion 26 of one side 90 of a second transverse wall 21 and extendsto substantially the middle of the transverse wall 21 where it is bentat right angles and extends to the first transverse wall i1 and formsone side 28 of a longitudinal wall member 29. The sheet is then foldedat 3! and extends to the second transverse wall 21, forming a secondside 32 of the longitudinal wall member 29. The sheet is again bent atright angles to form a second portion 93 of the side 90 of thetransverse wall 21 and is then folded at 94 and bent back upon itselfto' form a second side 35 of the transverse wall 21.

It will be seen, therefore, that the wall 25 of single thickness ofmetal, the transverse wall 21 of double thickness of metal, and thelongitudinal wall member 29 of double thickness of metal form aninverted F-shaped member, indicated at 49. The forming of the foregoingF-shaped members 49 are thereafter continued until the desired length ofthe flexible grid is obtained. At the right hand end of the gridmemberl2, the last transverse wall 96, instead of having its right handsheet 31 extend completely across the transverse wall,- has the sheet 31bent at right angles substantially at the middle of the transverse walland doubled at 39 to form sides 39 and I of an end longitudinal wallmember 42. The sheet 31 is then bent at right angles and extends to theedge of the transverse wall 39. v

Handles 43 and 44 are preferably attached to the end longitudinalmembers i9 and 42, respectively, by pivot pins 45, so that the handles43 and 44 may be disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1 when not inuse and may be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4 when it isdesired to lift the grid member l2 from the ice tray H to forcibly breakthe ice bond between the ice cubes l5 and the ice tray I I, and removethe grid therefrom. Flat portions 46 of the handles 43 and 44 engage aturned reinforced lip 41 of the ice tray ll, so that downward forceapplied by the user to the ends of the handles 43 and 44 lift the gridstructure l2, the lip 41 acting as a fulcrum and the handles 43 and 44and the fiat portions 46 acting as levers.

It is sometimes necessary to provide means for preventing upward flexingof the grid member l2 when lifting force is applied to the ends thereof,so that the grid will be lifted substantially an equal amount along itsentire length and the ice bond between the cubes I5 and the ice tray- IIwill be broken for the entire longitudinal extent of the ice tray.Several constructions have been heretofore utilized for stiffening thegrid, such as providing a rigid longitudinal member, or welding orotherwise fastening the double sheets of each transverse wall togetheradjacent the bottom thereof. In addition to other obvious disadvantagesof such constructions, they are expensive and complicate the manufactureof flexible metallic grids. In my grid member, the only welding utilizedis at the points 43 and 49, to prevent the end transverse sheets l6 and31 from bending out of shape when force is applied to the handles 43 and44. The grid member I2 is relatively stiiI in a vertical direction,however, because the folded portions 3| of each F-shaped section 40freely abuts its contiguous transverse wall for the entire height of thegrid structure and, therefore, prevents vertical rotation of thelongitudinal grid wall members at these points.

After the grid member i2 is removed from the ice tray II, the handles 43and 44 are grasped and force applied thereto in a plane coinciding withthe horizontal plane of the grid so that the grid is opened up as shownin Fig. 2. I'orsional force may also be applied through the handles 43and 44. All the walls of the grid are, therefore, moved relative to eachother and are spread to break the ice bond between the ice cubes l5 andthe grid member [2, and all the force applied is useful to spread thewalls, since none of the ice cubes ii are compressed by flexing thegrid. It will be obvious that, iii-flexible grid structures where someof the cubes are compressed by movement of the walls in a. givendirection, the work required to compress the cubes is useless becausesuch force does not assist in breaking the bond between the ice cubesand the grid. A double row of ice cubes may, therefore, be removed byflexing the grid in one direction, with the aforesaid twisting motionapplied if desirable, by my invention.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided animproved, relatively inexpensive grid member which is inherently stiffin a vertical direction and in which a double row of ice cubes may beremoved by flexing the grid with a minimum of effort required.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof, and I desire,

therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as areimposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in theappended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A removable grid for dividing an ice tray into a plurality of cellsfor forming ice cubes comprising a single strip of flexible metal bentto form a plurality of vertical transverse walls of double thicknessesof metal, a plurality of vertical longitudinal walls formed of a singlethickness of metal connecting adjacent thicknesses of the transversewalls, and a plurality of vertical longitudinal wall members extendingbetween said transverse walls and each comprising two thicknesses ofmetal bent from said transverse walls and folded adjacent a contiguoustransverse wall.

2. A removable grid for dividing an ice tray into a plurality of cellsfor forming ice cubes comprising a single strip of flexible metal bentto form a plurality of vertical transverse walls of double thicknessesof metal, a plurality of vertical longitudinal walls formed of a singlethickness of metal connecting adjacent thicknesses of the transversewalls, and a plurality of vertical longitudinal wall members extendingbetween said transverse walls and each comprising two thicknesses ofmetal bent from said transverse walls and folded adjacent a contiguoustransverse wall, said folded portion of the longitudinal walls of doublethicknesses freely abutting the transverse wall to which it iscontiguous.

3. A removable grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a pluralityof cells for forming ice cubes comprising walls of flexible sheet metalformed to provide a plurality of vertical transverse partitions of twothicknesses of sheet metal, and a plurality of vertical longitudinallyextending partitions extending between said transverse partitions andeach comprising two thicknesses of sheet metal extending from one ofsaid transverse partitions and connected adjacent to a contiguoustransverse partition, said longitudinal walls freely abutting the lattertransverse partition.

4. A removable grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a pluralityof cells for forming ice cubes comprising walls of flexible sheet metalformed to provide a plurality of transverse partitions of twothicknesses of sheet metal, a plurality of vertical longitudinalpartitions formed of a single thickness of metal connecting adjacentthicknesses of metal of the transverse partitions at one edge of all ofsaid transverse partitions, and another group of vertical longitudinalpartitions extending between said transverse partitions and eachcomprising two thicknesses of metal extending from said transversepartitions intermediate of their vertical edges and connected to eachother adjacent to a contiguous transverse partition.

5. A removable grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a pluralityof cells for forming ice cubes comprising vertical partition walls offlexible sheet metal formed into F-shaped members, the top of eachF-shaped member being formed of a single thickness of metal and theremainder of the F-shaped member being formed of double thicknesses ofmetal.

6. A removable grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a pluralityof cells for forming ice cubes comprising vertical partition walls offlex- .ible sheet metal formed into F-shaped members,

the top of each F shaped member being formed of a single thickness ofmetal and the remainder of the F-shaped member being formed of doublethicknesses of metal, the outer end of the top of each F-shaped memberbeing connected to the contiguous thickness 01' metal oi?v the uprightportion of the next F-shaped member.

7. A removable grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a pluralityof cells for forming ice cubes comprising vertical partition walls offlexible sheet metal formed into F-shaped members, the top of eachF-shaped member being formed of a single thickness of metal and theremainder of the F-shaped member being formed of double thicknesses ofmetal, the outer end of the top of each F-shaped member being. connectedto the contiguous thickness of metal of the upright portion of the nextF-shaped member, the F- shaped members being otherwise free to moverelative to each other.

8. A grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a plurality of cellsfor forming ice cubes comprising a plurality of walls extendingtransversely of the ice tray, a central longitudinal wall structurecomprising a plurality of members extending between contiguoustransverse walls and each connected to one transverse wall only, and aplurality of flexible members connecting the edges of said transversewalls on one side thereof only, whereby the grid forms a double row ofice cubes which are loosened by flexing the grid in one direction in thehorizontal plane thereof. 1

9. A grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a plurality of cellsfor forming ice cubes comprising a plurality of walls extendingtransversely of the ice tray, a central longitudinal wall structurecomprising a plurality of members extending between contiguoustransverse walls and each connected to one transverse. wall only, aplurality of flexible members connecting the edges of said transversewalls on one side thereof only, whereby the grid forms a double row ofice cubes which are loosened by flexing the grid in the horizontal planethereof, and means provided on the grid for imparting-flexing movementto the grid structure.

10. A grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a plurality of cellsfor forming ice cubes comprising a plurality of walls extendingtransversely of the ice tray, a central longitudinal wall structurecomprising a plurality of members extending between contiguoustransverse walls and each connected to one. transverse wall only, aplurality of flexible members connecting the edges of said transversewalls on one side thereof only, whereby the grid forms a double row ofice cubes which are loosened by flexing the grid in one direction in thehorizontal plane thereof, and means provided on the grid for impartingflexing movement thereto comprising handle members attached to thelongitudinal ends of the grid.

11. A grid structure for dividing an ice tray into a plurality of cellsfor forming ice cubes comprising a plurality of vertical walls extendingtransversely of the ice tray, a central verti: cal longitudinal wallstructure comprising a plurality of members extending between contiguoustransverse walls, each of said members being Kattached to only one ofsaid transverse walls and freely abutting the other contiguoustransverse wall for its entire extent, whereby the grid structure isstiffened when force is applied at the ends thereof in a verticaldirection, a plural.- ity of members connecting said transverse wallstogether, and means provided on the grid for removing it from said icetray by applying vertical lifting force to the ends ofsaid grid and saidmeans being efiective for thereafter imparting flexing movement to thegrid.

I EDWARD H. U712.

